He is among a dozen or so candidates for mayor who face a deadline this week to report their campaign cash. But Fort’s fundraising is restricted during the legislative session; as a sitting state lawmaker, he can’t raise any campaign cash during the 40-day period.

Fort said the donations – which averaged at $37 a pop – show he is stoking a movement of people “who want a City Hall that focuses on regular folks and the neighborhoods they live in, not just big shots and megaprojects.”

Fort has made no secret that he’s trying to model his bid to succeed Mayor Kasim Reed on Sanders’ insurgent presidential campaign. He’s called for the decriminalization of marijuana, free tuition at Atlanta city colleges and other left-leaning initiatives. He also has the backing of some establishment Democrats including former Gov. Roy Barnes, who contributed the $4,000 maximum to Fort’s campaign.

Some of Fort’s rivals are poised to put up big numbers as the fundraising reports trickle in.

Reed helped arrange a fundraiser for Councilwoman Keisha Lance Bottoms, though the mayor said he was not formally endorsing her bid.

And other contenders have been pounding the pavement to show they are formidable candidates, including former chief operating officer Peter Aman; Councilman Kwanza Hall; Council President Ceasar Mitchell; Councilwoman Mary Norwood; Michael Sterling, former head of the Atlanta Workforce Development Agency; and former council president Cathy Woolard.